Why the Senate "Dems" won't filibuster Alito

[David Van Os]

So many frustrated Democrats keep asking themselves why won't the Senate Democrats show more resistance to the Bushites' continuing drive for consolidation of anti-Constitutional executive power. I would like to suggest an answer. With just a very few notable exceptions, the "Democratic" Senators aren't Democrats at all. What they really are is the apologist wing of the Republican Party. Their purpose is to apologize for the anti-democratic actions of their (i.e. Repub) party's leadership.

You might also say they are the "straight men" of the Republican Party. They serve the purpose of providing the illusion that we still have the checks and balances of a two-party system. By doing so they are accomlices in the Bushite power grab. A real Democratic Party would have walked out of the Congress at the Bushites' arrogant dismissal of Constitutional government. They would have declared their refusal to participate any longer in a sham and gone back to their districts to mobilize the people against the imperial presidency. As Noam Chomsky said recently, the Bushites would be in terrible political trouble right now if the country had an opposition party.

As I opined in a previous post, George crossed the Rubicon when he declared he was going to continue wiretapping without warrants. As I expected would happen, the Senate "Democrats" meekly allowed him to march into Rome without serious opposition, and now they are about to let him place another one of his mouthpieces in the consulship to rubberstamp the power seizure.

I wish the millions of frustrated grassroots Fighting Democrats who keep expecting the Senate "Democrats" to provide opposition leadership, and who keep getting let down, would stop wasting their energies on the vain hope that the Scaredy-Cat "Democrats" will magically transform into Fighting Democrats. Those who owe their political careers to a decayed political culture will not change that culture. I wish the mass of grassroots Democrats would hunker down for the long haul of transforming our party into a real political party that can mobilize a base, instead of the brokerage agency that it is now.

There are two prongs to this work. They are of equal priority. One prong is mobilizing in election cycles to get pro-democracy Fighting Democrats elected to public office, and the other prong is placing pro-democracy Democrats in internal party positions (pct chair, county chair, committee positions, SD caucus positions, SDEC positions, convention delegates, etc.) Bend your efforts to fight for these things as hard as you can. Do your part and run for something yourself, either for public office or Democratic party office. Fight 'em till hell freezes over, then fight 'em on the ice.

David Van Os
Democratic Candidate for Texas Attorney General
You can help me keep going at www.vanosfortexasag.com

[Czolgosz]

1. 1st we take back the Democratic Party, then we take back the country! k+r

[sonias]

2. Count in me as a frustrated grassroots Democrat

I really pray that the court is out, so to speak. We can not give up on holding our election officials accountable. We need that filibuster or we need that vote on his confirmation to fail. We need to fight both fights David, we need to keep pushing the meek Democrats to stand up. It won't be a magical transformation but if they get enough heat then we might get some movement. The NSA spying case is not dead, those committee hearings are coming up and we need to be contacting our Senators and Congressman to let them know that spying on Americans is illegal and we want the full letter of the constitutional law to bear on the perpetrators who broke that law.

That being said however, we keep fighting at the grassroots finding those candidates that are true Democrats like yourself. We're in it for the long haul.

Sonia

[efhmc]

3. Many, if not most, people feel unempowered and many doubt that

their vote, if they vote, will be counted correctly or at all. The corporate cronyism of bush and company, the corruption and votes-for-money lobbying destruction of our liberties can be changed but it will take much more than many are ready to give in the terms of time and dedication.

[cascadiance]

4. I just called Feinstein's office a while ago...

... and noted that for me (and others here) that if there is no fillibuster of Alito, my stint as a registered Democrat who came on board when Howard Dean took over the DNC will be short. I'll stay likely until the primaries to help vote for someone progressive if possible, but will probably switch then to independent, and I'm not giving any money to the party and will instead give it to other organizations that DO see things like this fillibustering as a priority.

We should all let her and other DINOs know that the stakes are THAT high with us now! You may hold onto your corporate donors, but you WILL lose votes if you don't keep up the fight to keep out Alito!

[pat_k]

5. Spot On!! (Execpt long haul bit--To win, ask "What can we do, Right Now

He's spot on, until the end...

"Long haul," "Run for office" "Start a movement" are momentum killers. "We have no power. Can't influence people that currently hold power" stops people dead in their tracks. There is no action in abstractions. People agree with the concepts, even enthusiastically, then head home. Messages of powerlessness and hopelessness just sap energy.

We Do Not Need a Movement. We Need to Move.

Long term goals are fine, but MUST NOT be the focus. To win, the focus must ALWAYS be in the present. The question must always be "What can WE do NOW. Here?" NOT "What should they (some abstract group) do." If we think "they" should do something, we must ask "What can we do to make it happen?" "What can we do today; this week: this month to confront the people elected to represent us."

Brainstorm. Indentify Rich Pro-Democracy people to Challenge the Wimps and Weasels, so that when we confront them, we have leverage. Figure out how we can contact the people we identify. Who might have a channel? Yes, You, your neighbors, ordinary people can take these actions. Why not? Until the questions are asked, people usually have no idea what skills, resources, or cconnections others in their circle have.

Van Os is right, we need to boot out the wimps, but to do so, folks need to get specific.

• In CA, what about Warren Beatty to invest in defeating Feinstein -- or run himself. What about Arrianna? Rob Reiner?



• In CT, what about lobbying Letterman to run against Leiberman?

Repubs are terrified of the Hollywood influence, so lets show them how dangerous these folks really are to them. In NJ, it wasn't celebrity, it was money in Corzine. Shouldn't have to be that way you say? Sure, it shouldn't. But it is. Right now, it is "any ethical means necessary" to get people in power who can change things. And if your group is unwilling to do any of those things, shift to the next priority, figure out what you can do on that.

People can always do something today, even if it is just giving $5 or sending an email. But tell them they need to hunker down for a long haul and they walk away and leave it to activists out there (real and imagined) who are willing to devote an enormous amount of time.

We can beat them with volume when we stop short-circuiting the individual, small, and immediate actions required to acheive short term goals (that of course, accumulate into long term change).

[IndyOp]

6. Your post is screwing with our work to block Alito - CALL DEMS NOW!!

Your attempt make "points" by dissing the Senate Dems is going to decrease the likelihood that the PEOPLE will call and push for Senate Dems to block Alito --> that SUCKS.

You want dollars from me? Fight the good fight now!

As Gore noted on Monday - the sickness in our country is in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and it is THE PEOPLE who have the power to change the situation. Yes, by electing progressives.

But right now the most important thing we can do is

CALL SENATE DEMS AND MODERATE REPUBLICANS AND TELL THEM TO FILIBUSTER! 888-818-6641 and 888-355-3588

David - In my opinion, you are not participating in the DU community, you are using DU. Stop posting 'press releases' to get US to support YOU. If you want US to support YOU then roll up YOUR sleeves and work with US on OUR current goals.

[Vincardog]

7. I suggested that David come to DU and post here. I told him that there

were people here who misfit be open to his ideas and Ideals. David opines the democrats in DC will not stop Alito and he tells us why he believes so. I for one think we have to stop ALITO and the FASCIST march of Commander Bunnypants.

What ever happens I will sleep well knowing I did everything to

1) STOP ALITO
2) Take back control of our country.

I called your number and told my 'representatives' not to vote for the Police state.

I also opined David and am helping him in His run for TX AG whenever I can.

We are the Big Tent and have room for all opinions, Lets prove David wrong on ALITO.

[PDittie]

8. I wish we wouldn't attack each other over things like this

David and you both have a strong commitment to the same ultimate goal.

Keep your guns pointed at the enemy.

[IndyOp]

12. Sorry to be a pain, but this is important: David pointed his gun at Dems

I pointed mine at him, true enough. But if there is a circular firing squad happening in this thread - David aimed at the Senate Dems first.

[PDittie]

14. I took it as he was challenging them

Not as an attack on them.

:shrug:

[GOPisEvil]

9. Commence circular firing squad!!

You're telling Mr. Van Os to roll up his sleeves and get to work? Buddy, you don't know shit from shinola.

[IndyOp]

11. This is Shinola -

I don't know anything about David Van Os other than the fact that his post about why dems won't filibuster was, IMHO, defeatist.

[PDittie]

15. Well, you're entitled to your opinion

but I know David personally, have for a couple of years now, and the last thing anyone would call him is defeatist.

He's been fighting the Repukes for decades, when many others long ago gave up the fight. You can learn more about the man here:

http://vanosfortexasag.com

[IndyOp]

13. Sorry to be a pain, but this is important: David pointed his gun at Dems

I pointed mine at him, true enough. But if there is a circular firing squad happening in this thread - David aimed at the Senate Dems first.

[David Van Os]

10. I would like nothing better than to be proven wrong

It is not my intention to argue in favor of the abstract over the concrete and immediate. In a previous DU post I stated, "There is no mystery as to what each of us as individuals and all of us as community can and must do. This is an election year. We have to remove the gangsters and their allies from every office, directly and specifically. Each one of us needs to select one or more campaigns, whether of candidates or of political organizations, take grassroots ownership of the campaigns, and devote everything we can to victory. I have selected my pathway; each must select theirs." Running for party offices is concrete and immediate for most of us this very year. Running for public office is concrete as well - I didn't mean 10 years from now. Regarding possible filibuster of Alito, I would like nothing better than to be proven wrong. Go for it.

[Zan_of_Texas]

16. I've met David. He has put in work on getting clean elections.

Good fella!

I hate what you said David, mostly because I fear you are right. However, I have promised myself and my country I will continue to try, with a big effort over the next few days. Alito if confirmed could serve for SEVEN PRESIDENTIAL TERMS of office -- 28 years is his life expectancy from now.

A DC reporter told me that someone has likened the Dems in Congress to the Washington Generals -- the team that always played the Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters had to have someone to play against, but the Generals always lose.

One could add, they get paid at the end of the day too, just not as well. Even for losing every game.

Anyway, we must pick something we want to do, and do it well, and depend on others to take other approaches, and do them well.

The Rs stole the 2004 election in many jurisdictions, using many techniques.

The people must retake our country, using many techniques. One is, putting so much heat on the Dems and borderline Rs that they cannot continue to pretend everything is normal.

These are the times that try men's and women's souls.

[Freddie Stubbs]

17. Perhaps you are running for th wrong office

There is a Senate seat from Texas up for election this year.